Beautiful cinematography can't save this film. The rather simplistic story unfolds as a young boy washes up on an island off the North African coast, after the ship on which he and his father were passengers sunk and the boy was thrown into the waves. Miracles abound. To name just one, when the boy wakes up on the beach after his ordeal he finds, right next to him in the shallow water, his pocket knife, blade already open. Highly unlikely, to put it mildly. By spoon-feeding the viewers with easy answers the film underestimates the intelligence of the movie loving public.
The characters are poorly develop, even that of the protagonist, young Alec Ramsey, played without distinction by Kelly Reno. Other actors are equally mediocre. The award for best 'actor' goes to the black stallion.
A large part of the first half of the film is taken up by vividly colored and picturesque sunsets, with the boy trying to befriend the horse, but after a while it just gets boring. The second half of the film builds up to the horse race, and for a change some real dialogue takes place. The ending is unfortunately rather predictable.
Undiscerning young kids may perhaps unconditionally enjoy the film, but many thinking youngsters will find it a bore, not to mention adults.
The characters are poorly develop, even that of the protagonist, young Alec Ramsey, played without distinction by Kelly Reno. Other actors are equally mediocre. The award for best 'actor' goes to the black stallion.
A large part of the first half of the film is taken up by vividly colored and picturesque sunsets, with the boy trying to befriend the horse, but after a while it just gets boring. The second half of the film builds up to the horse race, and for a change some real dialogue takes place. The ending is unfortunately rather predictable.
Undiscerning young kids may perhaps unconditionally enjoy the film, but many thinking youngsters will find it a bore, not to mention adults.